Paris at night. Photo by Tom Grotta

Tom and Carter Grotta and I (Rhonda Brown) had the opportunity to travel to Paris last week for art-related activities. We were on a mission — we wanted to restart our project photographing artists in their studios. We had traveled to visit several artists in the US, and several more in Great Britain, Scotland, Belgium, and the Netherlands when the project was derailed by the pandemic. 

Rhonda defers to art creation at the Tuileries. Photo by Carter Grotta

This year, we thought we’d start slow — we’d meet Florence and Paul Bernard, Simone Pheulpin’s remarkable gallery representatives in Paris, visit Simone in her studio just outside the city, take in the Olga d’Amaral exhibition at the Cartier Foundation before it closes on March 16th, and experience the endless visual and epicurean delights of the city.

Visiting Olga de Amaral at the Cartier Foundation. Photos by Carter and Tom Grotta.

The Olga de Amaral exhibition was as glorious as advertised.

Visiting the Maison Parisienne annex; meeting Florence and Paul Bernard. Photo by Carter Grotta.

We were graciously feted by Florence and Paul Bernard at the annex of Maison Parisienne, Simone Pheulpin’s Paris gallery and at a memorable dinner with Florence, Paul, Simone and François Bernard, and at Simone’s home/studio the next day. 

Carter Grotta and Simone Pheulpin at our photo shoot. Photo by Rhonda Brown.

In between, we enjoyed traveling again and the charms of Paris. 

We took in the sites — the Louvre, Montmarte, Marais, Musée des Decoratifs, the Seine, and the delights of endless exceptional architecture and design at every turn

The Pyramid at the Louvre, outside the Maison Parisienne annex in the 17th arrondissement, Lion de Belfort by Auguste Bartholdi (sculptor of the Statue of Liberty; Arc du Triomphe du Carrousel, salon wall at Le Clef Louvre Hotel, Saint Pierre de Montmartre. Photos by Tom Grotta and Rhonda Brown.

As we do on all trios, we looked for fiber art and fiber-related and fiber-inspired items. 

Loopy lights in the Louvre; baskets from Madagascar; great sculpture in a taco restaurant; three views from the Musée des Arts Décoratifs — a basket chair; an ode to Teddy Bears (Mon ours en pelouche) the “king of toys,” and a nest made of felt by Gianni Ruffi. Photos by Tom Grotta and Rhonda Brown

And we totally immersed ourselves in French cuisine.

We sampled endless epicurean delights of France, lemon soufflé, frogs’ legs, decroix, haricots vert salade, surprise sandwich, fried squid, Quiche Lorraine. Pictured: Crazy croissant with roasted mushrooms, carrots, eggs, pastrami, and fresh spinach; gelato topped with a macaron; oysters; more macarons; steak and frites; escargot; carpaccio; and crepes suzette. Photos by Tom and Carter Grotta.

Nous avons vécu aventure exceptionelle!